Senator Tommy Tuberville Makes It Official for Governor, Leaves Open Senate Seat for Competitive Race

So all of the speculation is now over and he made it official this past week. United States Senator Tommy Tuberville announced that he is running to be the next Governor of the state of Alabama.

It started off as a rumor and then a lot of talk and now he is for certain a candidate for the state’s top office. There may be some token opposition in the Republican Primary but with Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth taking his name out of contention, Senator Tuberville will undoubtedly be the GOP nominee.

As for whether there will be a Democratic opponent, the only legitimate name that has been floated and who is making the rounds is former U.S. Senator Doug Jones. If he runs, he will be the Democratic nominee for certain.

And so you could get a rematch between Tuberville and Jones. In the 2020 contest between the two, Tuberville knocked off the incumbent Jones by a 21 percent margin. It the two do face each other or if another Democrat is chosen to face Tuberville you would probably see the same margin.

Regardless of the competition in either the party primary or general election, a Governor Tommy Tuberville looks to be in Alabama’s future. And with Senator Tuberville making his announcement, his seat in the Senate will now be wide open.

Senate seats in Alabama do not come open that often and usually those who serve do so for decades. Thus, the list for those who covet the job is long.

But it also means the campaign to win these races are hard fought, competitive and very expensive. As a matter of fact, to run and win a race of this nature takes millions of dollars to get your message out across the entire state of Alabama. Thus, while a lot of folks seek the seat it is too arduous and cost prohibitive for most.

So far the most high-profile candidate to declare he wants the position is current Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshal. He has won statewide office and will be able to raise the monies needed to run a competitive race. In addition, former Navy Sea and former candidate for Jefferson County Sheriff Jared Hudson has also said he is seeking the seat. US Representative Barry Moore and former Congressman Mo Brooks also have their names being mentioned as possible contenders.

There will be other candidates that announce soon so stay tuned for one of the most important races to watch in the 2026 election cycle in Alabama.

Paul DeMarco is a former member of the Alabama House of Representatives and can be found on X, formerly Twitter, at Paul_DeMarco